This is US!: February 2015

New Calling

So I have been a Primary teacher for 9-10 year olds since I moved into the ward nearly two years ago. I have loved every minute of it! I loved my classes and the differences and joys that each class has brought me. A couple of weeks ago I was getting Lizzi into bed and Curtis got a call from the First Councilor in the bishopric asking if he could come over for a little bit. Curtis told him yes then came to tell me that he was coming over after I got Lizzi in bed. I told to call him back and tell him no, because I knew it meant a new calling; and I knew it was for me. Curtis is the scoutmaster and he is doing a phenomenal job with the boys that I knew they were never going to move him. I had it all figured out and I knew exactly what the call was going to be and it scared me. I was anxious before he came over and I wasn't sure I wanted to accept the calling. But being raised by the amazing parents I was, I knew you don't turn down a calling. You always say yes, there is a reason we are given the callings we are and the Lord's ways are not our ways he knows better what we need than we do. So when Brother Godfrey came over he said "I think you know why I'm here" I responded that I had a pretty good idea. He said he had the thought on the way over that I would have it all figured out when he got here and that was a reaffirmation to him that it was the right calling to the right person. I wasn't as convinced but when he said "Sister Newman we would like to extend the calling to you to be the new primary chorister. Are you willing to accept that calling?" I had to respond yes. Despite my fears and apprehension on my new calling I knew that I had gotten comfortable where I was and this life is about growth.

I had my first week as Chorister last week and I feel like it went well, it wasn't terrible, but I felt like I had room to improve too. I think once I can get my feet wet and the kids get used to me and I get used to them that this will be fun for me. The kids enjoyed Lizzi with me because she is a little ham and being up front leading with mom she gets to wave to everyone which some kids view as trying to lead. Either way it helps them pay attention and Lizzi loves the attention. I am humbled that the Lord felt the need to put me in as the chorister and to help these kids learn through music, I love the primary songs and I am excited to remind myself of the songs as I teach the kids! So here's to growth and a new calling!

9 Months!

Today we had our 9 month check up! Lizzi is now 17 lbs and 12 oz and 27 inches long! She is 3 pounds heavier and .75 inches taller than her 6 month appointment and the doctor says she is advanced for her age in her mental development! She still does all the great things she did when she was 8 months old but now she calls the dogs too! She says da da da and will smack her leg like she wants them to come over to her, she also can get her little puff snacks out of her treat container on her own and she eats those like she has never eaten another thing in her life it's so cute! She also has this new crooked goofy grin that melts my heart and she snorts when she gets excited! HAHAHA she will breathe in and out so fast that she snorts it's precious! I can't believe we are getting closer to the year mark. It is crazy how fast time goes, we just love where we are in life right now. We don't want anything else to change!

I found my diaper mom

You want me to smile?

Okay here is my new cute crooked grin!

Daddy is silly behind you mom

:P I am done taking pictures

8 Months

8 Months! Wow where is the time going? I wish it would slow down some, she is getting too big too fast. I am loving her growing up though. She just gets more and more fun by the day.

She is crawling like a normal baby now and she looks like a little toy baby crawling around! It is perfectly adorable! It makes me smile! Until she gets into something I don't want her in. She is the happiest baby I know, she laughs and smiles and "talks" all the time! She is standing up to everything, we have to pull the blinds up in our living room so she can stand in and look out the windows. She started to walk! Well kind of, she can walk if she has something to hold on to. Her stroller toy she got for Christmas makes her happy because, with it's help, she can walk all over! She walks along the couches and if mom and dad have the energy and we don't hurt (because we are old ;)) She will hold our hands and walk anywhere. She dances whenever she hears music and will kind of "sing". She loves playing on a drum that daddy made, and daddy even lets her drive sometimes ;) She loves being hung upside down, being sung to, reading, bath time (she has her whole life!), dancing, she loves eating whatever mom and dad are eating (baby food is another story), she waves hello and says hi to EVERYONE she comes in contact with, she loves to say momma and dada, she is getting a little sassy attitude, and we love her more everyday!

Now pictures!

I'm 8 months old!

Kind of blurry but I love that smile!

Mom stop taking pictures can we be done?

Last smile we got out of her for the night.

She loves to climb on the entertainment center; also she loves listening to American Idol (She is too busy moving to watch it)

Boom Boom Boom on a drum

I want to be a dancer like my mommy

I love my dada and look at my cute hair!

I want to do a headstand or a somersault :)

Working on standing by myself!

Dada lets me drive!

7 Months!

Ok so I am terribly behind! 3 months behind to be exact!

Over half a year old! Wow can I just say this baby is soooooo much fun!!! We absolutely love being parents! It is the best decision we made and I think going through the struggle of getting Lizzi here makes it that much sweeter! Even though being a parent has it's hard times we wouldn't trade this little pumpkin for anything!!

She has started "Crawling?" if that's what you can call it. She more does an inch worm where she will move her knees like she's crawling but then just pulls herself with her arms. It is the cutest thing, it will almost be sad when she learns to crawl for real. She started saying dada and Curtis couldn't be more thrilled. She is becoming quite the little daddy's girl. Words she can say, momma, dada, hi and she waves like a float queen. It is the cutest thing to watch! She also celebrated her first Christmas! Of course, as with most things, mom and dad were much more excited about everything than she was. She did however loving ripping the paper and trying to eat it. She got a lot of cute new clothes to grow into, a walk behind stroller toy, an interactive monkey that she can play with plastic balls, and a learning leap frog doggie. The day after Christmas she decided she was going to start pulling herself up onto her new toys. What the heck! She just woke up and decided she knew how to do that! I don't like that! She is now learning something new everyday! I feel like she wakes up and decides she knows how to do another big girl thing!

Now PICTURES!